Hurricane Delta (1995, Farm River)
Hurricane Delta was a Category 5 hurricane that caused severe damage along the northern Gulf Coast of the United States in September 1995. Opal is the strongest of the hyper-active 1995 Atlantic hurricane season. It crossed the Yucatán Peninsula on September 26, then strengthened and moved northward in the Gulf, becoming a powerful Category 5 Atlantic hurricane before making a second landfall October 4 in the Florida Panhandle near Pensacola as a 325-km/h hurricane. Delta devastated the Pensacola/Panhandle area with a 8 m storm surge and traveled up the entire state of Alabama, Delta caused catastrophic damage in the mid-Atlantic states before dissipating. It is considered as the costliest storm ever before being beaten in 2005. Throughout the storm's path, 388 people died in storm-related events. It was considered a lot but much lesser than expected 2000+. Losses attributed to Delta exceeded $120 billion, much of which took place in the United States. It is considered as the costliest storm ever before being beaten in 2005. Delta was retired but since it is a Greek name, it is retired in that season but will be reused if necessary in the future. Meteorological History A tropical wave was spotted off the coast of Africa and become TD one day after. It strengthened into Delta and become category 1 hurricane and made landfall on Yucatan Peninsula. Instead of weakening, it intensified further into category 2 and turned northeast. Due to warm temperatures, it intensified into category 5 hurricane. It was not forecast and instead making way through Mexico. It ended up hitting Florida as a category 5 and greatly weakened as it accelerates northeast. It become extratopical on October 5. Preparations and Impact When Delta is still a category 1 hurricane, people in Yucatan evacuated and issued warnings. It caused moderate damage in the region. However, when still weak, some people in Louisiana evacuated for Delta posed a threat in the state. After crossing Yucatan, Delta was expected to move westward, but instead, it moved northeastward, and also strengthening, so forced evacuations are observed in the Gulf. A lot of people evacuated making the evacuation centers very full. As the storm passes, 388 people only died, due to mass evacuations. It doesn't prevent Delta from causing $120 billion loss, making it costliest at that time. The impact was reached further, up to Canada. Damage was widespread, but the states Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana are impacted badly. The death toll of the storm is high, but too far from the expected 2,000+, due to the mass evacuations. Retirement The name '''Delta '''is a Greek name, and in 1996, it was determined that Greek names can be retired in a particular season, but will be reused if necessary in the future. Records Delta is tied with Danielle for becoming the second strongest hurricane at that time, and tied with Dana for third most intense hurricane at the time when Delta reached max intensity. It is also costliest storm at that time. All of these records are kept until storms in 2005 broke the record. Comparison to Dana and Danielle Almost all of these three storms are category 5, very intense and affected the Gulf Coast. The three storms are referred by most people in the Gulf as D3. Later in 2007, Dorian also affects the Gulf Coast. Soon people added it to D3 and become D4. The term was made in 1995 after Delta affects the Gulf coast. Category:Farm River's Creations Category:Category 5 Atlantic hurricanes